With unemployment continuing to increase, more people are turning to contract work, freelancing and consulting. The issue is real in Westchester and it is real across the Connecticut border in Fairfield County, where Mary Ann Gontin has noticed the change.
“Instead of trying to get hired for scarce full-time jobs at the present, more people are pursuing alternative ways to make a living and pay the bills,” said Gontin, managing partner of OI Partners-Cunis & Gontin in Fairfield County.
OI Partners-Cunis & Gontin is a global career transition and coaching firm.
The national unemployment rate now stands at 8.5 percent, with 13.2 million people unemployed. Nationwide, there are only about 3 million new jobs available.
According to Gontin, there are more than four applicants for every job opening, twice as many applicants per job opening as when the recession began in December 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Elena Oppedisano works freelance as Checks & Balances Bookkeeping Services out of her Trumbull home, though she continues to work in her career managing foreclosures.
“This is a niche,” said Oppedisano. “Usually the small business or the sole-owned business owner leaves their job and venture off on their own, but they don”™t realize that they have to wear all the hats because they don”™t have enough capital to have staff.”
Oppedisano said there is work to be had out there if you”™re willing to find it.
“Consulting, contract work, and freelancing are especially popular among professionals who can work out of their homes, requiring modest start-up money,” said Gontin. “They can sometimes acquire former employers as their new clients. Many people ages 50 and up who have been laid off before, and are having a more difficult time finding employment, are exploring various ways to become their own bosses.”
Oppedisano said she decided to avail herself to these business owners that want to grow and concentrate on their business and don”™t want to deal with the books.
Gontin said those interested in this type of work should reach out to those who know their work best, and inform them about your new self-employment enterprise.
Gontin also recommended assembling a portfolio, undercutting prevailing hourly or project rate, as well as using networking Web sites or creating a new Web site.
“I think now with this economy and people letting go of their staffs especially in the less central departments this is an important service,” said Oppedisano. “If you need someone more than once a week I”™m probably not the person for you. I think there are a lot of businesses out there that need the help, but need it when they decide that they need it.”
“I now have more than a dozen steady clients and growing,” said Oppedisano. “I think with the economy affecting many small businesses today, my services can serve two-fold: to either fill an ”˜as needed”™ void for a small business who had to make staff reduction or the recently laid off worker seeing this as an opportunity to start their own business and get their bookkeeping system set up properly.”
